Eric Byrnes may not be done for the season as originally reported.

Byrnes, who opted against season ending surgery to repair his torn left hamstring, has been rehabbing his injury in the hopes that he might play again this season.

Those hopes are getting closer to being realized… at least according to Byrnes.

“My ego is not big enough to say I’m going to come in and try to be the hero in September. That’s not the idea. It’s to get healthy enough to play and help this team in whatever capacity I can.”

He added that he couldn’t envision the Diamondbacks “sitting me on the bench making that amount of coin.” “That amount of coin” is the 3-year, $30 million contract that he signed one year ago today.

The only problem with that line of thinking is Byrnes’ season stats.

When he did play, he hit an unimpressive .209 and looked more like a catcher running the bases than a guy who stole 57 bases the season before.

When you compare his production to that of Conor Jackson, Chad Tracy, Alex Romero and Justin Upton since he went on the DL, it becomes difficult to justify finding him playing time.

Byrnes hit .209 with an on-base percentage of .272. Jackson, Tracy, Romero and Upton are batting at least 59 points higher than Byrnes was prior to the injury and have at least a .295 on-base percentage.

His replacement in left, Conor Jackson, is batting .323 with 5 home runs, 18 RBI and a .381 on-base percentage since July 1. While Jackson’s replacement at first, Chad Tracy, is batting .311 with 2 home runs, 18 RBI and a .357 on-base percentage.

With the offense starting to find a rhythm it lacked in May and June it would be tough to justify messing with chemistry in order to give Byrnes a spot in the lineup. There is no way to get Byrnes playing time and keep Jackson and Tracy’s bats in the lineup.

Melvin wouldn’t ask Jackson to move to right and learn a new position yet again and the combination of Alex Romero and Justin Upton has been serviceable there anyways. Melvin wouldn’t ask Tracy to go to the bench to free up first base for Jackson. Melvin wouldn’t bench Chris Young for numerous reasons including he’s starting to heat up, he is one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball and Byrnes couldn’t possibly play center with a torn hamstring.

If Byrnes’ ego is “not that big”, as he claims, he should be more than happy to sit no matter how much “coin” he is making if it’s what’s right for the team. Or for that matter he should be willing to stay on the DL for remainder of the year and fully recover from what has been called a 98% tear of the hamstring.

The Diamondbacks front office originally seemed to want Byrnes to opt for surgery. They can’t be that happy with the latest developments as was indicated by Bob Melvins less than excited comments.

“We have to get there first, and that’s quite a ways off, I think. I wouldn’t rule it out, but I don’t think we’re at the point right now that I could comment on it or what potentially could happen if and when he does come back.”

It’s obvious that Byrnes enjoys enjoys the game of baseball and you even have to applaud him for his attempt to rehab a torn hamstring, but in the end it boils down to the fact he likes the spotlight. By taking the stance that his bloated contract warrants a spot in the outfield during the stretch run screams “look at me”.

Hopefully Byrnes will rethink his position and realize that the sign on the door says the Diamondbacks Clubhouse and not The Eric Byrnes Show.

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